Lebanon and Angola will clash with Spain in Group A as the Valencia hosts set the stage for the Paris 2024 Pre-Olympic tournaments. In Riga, Latvia, Cameroon and Montenegro will contend in Group B while in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ivory Coast and Lithuania join Mexico in Group A, with the ultimate Paris 2024 spots up for grabs from July 2 to 7.
The Pre-Olympic draw took place at the Patrick Baumann House of Basketball at FIBA headquarters in Mies, Switzerland. Twenty-four teams were split into four hubs: Valencia in Spain, Patras in Greece, Riga in Latvia, and San Juan in Puerto Rico. Each venue hosts two groups, A and B, with six teams in each group and direct implications for Olympic qualification.
OFFICIAL — Valencia already has rivals for the Pre-Olympic matches. The FIBA OQT groups were revealed as follows: Group A in Valencia features Lebanon, Angola, and Spain; Group B includes Finland, Poland, and the Bahamas. The other hubs present equally balanced pools to determine the strongest contenders for a final Olympic berth.
Proceedings specify that the top two teams from each group, in both Valencia and Riga, advance to a semi final where the winner of the first pairing meets the runner-up of the second. The two finalists emerging from those semis earn direct tickets to Paris 2024.
Given the structure, Spain must perform well in Group A and, if needed, replicate that success in Group B to keep the Olympic dream alive. The Finland, Poland, and Bahamas block stands as a stern challenge in Group B, while the Riga hub houses Georgia, the Philippines, and Latvia in Group A and Brazil, Cameroon, and Montenegro in Group B. The challenge is repeated at the San Juan hub, where Mexico, Ivory Coast, and Lithuania face strong sides in Group A, and Italy, Puerto Rico, and Bahrain make up Group B.
In this year’s format, nineteen teams have earned direct qualification to the World Cup, while the remaining five teams secured their places through the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments held in August. The winner at each Olympic qualifying event obtains a direct invitation to Paris 2024. They join seven teams already qualified through the World Cup in combination with France as hosts, along with Australia, Japan, South Sudan, Canada, the United States, Serbia, and Germany making up the core field for the Paris Games.
The finalized draw reveals how teams will maneuver through the early rounds toward Olympic glory. Valencia hosts Group A with Lebanon, Angola, and Spain; Group B features Finland, Poland, and the Bahamas. In Riga, Group A includes Georgia, the Philippines, and Latvia, while Group B covers Brazil, Cameroon, and Montenegro. El Piero hosts Group A with Slovenia, New Zealand, and Croatia, and Group B brings Egypt, Greece, and the Dominican Republic. San Juan de Puerto Rico holds Group A with Mexico, Ivory Coast, and Lithuania, and Group B with Italy, Puerto Rico, and Bahrain.
Valencia Headquarters
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Group A: Lebanon, Angola, Spain.
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Group B: Finland, Poland, Bahamas.
Central Riga
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Group A: Georgia, Philippines, Latvia.
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Group B: Brazil, Cameroon, Montenegro.
El Piero Headquarters
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Group A: Slovenia, New Zealand, Croatia.
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Group B: Egypt, Greece, Dominican Republic.
Headquarters San Juan de Puerto Rico
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Group A: Mexico, Ivory Coast, Lithuania.
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Group B: Italy, Puerto Rico, Bahrain.